Many stores and supermarkets provide shopping carts which may be used by customers. For example, a shopping cart includes an open basket which is rigidly connected to a bottom frame having four wheels. The customer puts inside the shopping cart items that the customer wishes to purchase. At the checkout point, the customer takes the items out from the shopping cart, and allows the cashier to scan the items so that the customer may pay for the purchase. Then, the purchased items are placed back into the shopping cart, either directly or optionally using one or more shopping bags.
Unfortunately, some stores do not allow the customer to take the shopping cart out of the store, for example, towards the customer's vehicle which may be parked outside the store or in a nearby parking lot. Accordingly, the customer may be required to hand-carry the purchased items, which may be heavy or cumbersome to carry, from the checkout point within the store to the vehicle.
Some stores allow the customer to take the shopping cart out of the store, for example, towards the customer's vehicle. Unfortunately, once the customer arrives at his vehicle, the customer has to manually unload the shopping cart, by transferring each purchased item (or each bag containing one or more purchased items) from the shopping cart to the customer's vehicle, e.g., to the trunk or compartment of the vehicle. This process may be inconvenient, effort consuming and/or time-consuming, particularly when the customer purchases a relatively large number of items or one or more relatively heavy items.